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29 notifications. Of the 13 remaining confirmed cases 8 were paralytic
and 5 were non-paralytic. All were removed to hospital and none
died. A further 8 cases were removed to hospital as suspect poliomyelitis
but were not notified. In none of these cases was information
received that the diagnosis was confirmed. Gastro enteritis accounted
for 71 cases. This disease is not officially notifiable, and the number of
cases is generally ascertained through notices of removal to hospital or
other information. There were six deaths, three of them among infants
under one year of age.
Food Poisoning: During the year information was received of 15
separate outbreaks of food poisoning in which the total number of
persons affected was 324. Most of those were only mildly affected, and
among the total only six were officially notified, three of whom were
removed to hospital. There were no deaths from food poisoning.
As a result of the changes imposed by the National Health Service
Act, 1946, the Council's Deputy Medical Officer of Health was transferred
to the Regional Hospital Board as Chest Physician. This has naturally
added to the work of your Medical Officer of Health who had no deputy
for more than a year. The situation has been to some extent eased by
the appointment of an Assistant Medical Officer of Health in conjunction
with the Borough of Holborn. Dr. P. G. Roads who is joint Assistant
Medical Officer of Health to the City of Westminster and to the Borough
of Holborn took up his appointment in April, 1950. He has added this
note on some of the aspects of Public Health and its future, viewed
generally and locally.
During the era preceding 1900 the emphasis of English public health
had been on the control of epidemic diseases by improvements
in environmental hygiene. As a result much progress was made
in the provision cf a safe water supply, paving and cleaning the
streets, disposal of sewage and the prevention of nuisances In
fact without the reforms advocated by sanitary science, large
urban populations would have had constantly recurring
epidemics. It might even have been impossible to have had
such a conurbanisation as London. Without the intensive
industralisation thereby made possible, the economic condition
of the country would not have developed to its present position.
In Westminster this tradition of sanitary reform resulted in improvements
which are noted in the foreword and referred to in greater
detail in last year's report. But public interest throughout the
country had begun to focus on individual health for the limitations
of such environmental improvements were becoming
apparent. The high rejection rate of Army recruits on medical
grounds during the South African war had created concern in
many quarters and there were those who doubted whether
public health as then understood was fulfilling its full obligation
to the community.
It was realised by progressive committees and individual pioneers
that Public Health had responsibilities beyond those of